"Encouraging and Supporting Women Physicians & Dentists Through Connecting, Inspiring and Equipping."
Women Physicians & Dentists in Christ (WPDC) is an outreach ministry to provide resources for Christian women physicians and dentists to integrate their personal, professional and spiritual lives. We encourage and support Christian women and physicians as we share the unique challenges of our multiple roles. To learn more about our ministry and stay abreast of events, subscribe to our monthly newsletter, WPDC Heartbeat. And be sure to plan to attend our annual conferences and virtual conferences.
Our Mission
Women Physicians and Dentists in Christ provides a community of belonging, support, and equipping to address the unique challenges of our personal and professional lives.
Our Vision
Women rooted in Christ, growing in community, and reflecting the love of Christ through medicine.
Core Values
Biblical Authority - 2 Tim 3:16, All scripture is inspired
Integrity - Titus 2:7, Colossians 4-6
Authentic Friendships - John 15:12-13, Love one another
Grace-filled Haven - Hebrews 4:16, Grace in time of need, Women physicians complete in Christ, thriving in service
EVENTS & HAPPENINGS
September 16-19, 2027 - Minneapolis, Minnesota
MEW Monterey, California (WPDC)
January 8, 2027 – January 10, 2027
September 21-24, 2028 - Monterey Bay
This monthly e-newsletter from WPDC is designed to encourage women in medicine and dentistry as they face the unique challenges of women in healthcare, serving as a key resource for women in integrating their personal, professional and spiritual lives. Each month, the WPDC Heartbeat includes a note from the WPDC Chair, information about upcoming events and a short devotional.
COMMISSION MEMBERS
Introducing the WPDC Leadership Team:
Darilyn Falck, MD – 2000-2004
A.J. Demlow, MD – 2004-2006
Gloria Halverson, MD – 2006-2008
Autumn Dawn Galbreath, MD – 2008-2010
Cara Brown, MD – 2010-2012
Leslie Walker, MD – 2012-2014
Amy Givler, MD- 2014-2016
Holly Austin, MD – 2016-2018
Patti Francis, MD - 2018 – 2020
Regina Frost, MD - 2020-2022
Connie Hahn, DO - 2022-2024
Sarah Rahkola, MD - 2024-2026
Nancy Mabe is a 1994 graduate of the University of Missouri school of Medicine. She joined CMDA during her first year of medical school. She completed her residency in Internal Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University in 1997. She joined a private practice in Arlington Heights, IL. In 2001, she moved to Wentzville, Mo, also practicing community medicine and in 2015 she joined the faculty of the University of Missouri. She has been an active member of the WPDC since 1998. Nancy is a fellow of the American College of Physician's and serves on the Missouri ACP Governor's Council. She and her husband Dan have 3 girls: Kaitlyn, Christa, and Allison.
Jordan Immel, DMD, is a general dentist at a community health center in central Missouri. She attended AT Still University, graduating in 2020. Jordan became involved in CMDA while in her second year of training and served as the vice president of her chapter for a year. Following graduation, she became involved in the Women in Medicine and Dentistry Commission, serving as a member of the Dental Task Force since early 2021. Having graduated herself during the pandemic, Jordan has a passion for helping new graduates through their transition from school into their medical profession. She hopes that God may use her in this endeavor while serving as a member of the WPDC commission.
Dr. Sarah Rahkola is an internist and clinic medical director at Providence Medical Group, Newberg, Oregon. She is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians (ACP) and serves as the chair of the finance committee of the Oregon chapter. Her clinical interests are in geriatric medicine, substance use disorder, and team-based primary care. Her husband Rauha and three children Thomas, James and Miriam join her in loving music, reading, traveling, and exploring the outdoors. She has a passion for classical Christian education and for teaching her Sunday school students how to read and interpret scripture.
Elisa M. Ghezzi, DDS, PhD has practiced geriatric dentistry for 25 years, providing dental care for residents of assisted living facilities in southeastern Michigan. She graduated from and is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Michigan (UM) School of Dentistry and holds a PhD in Epidemiology from UM School of Public Health. Elisa has been married for 24 years to Steve, a pediatric dentist. They have six children: Elena, Joseph, Luke, Natalie, Dominic, and Michael. Elisa has been a member of CMDA since 1991 and has served as Resident Trustee, on the Dental Ad Hoc Committee, and on the Women in Medicine and Dentistry Commission (2001-2005).
Dr. Amanda Nichols attended medical school at TouroCOM in New York City and family medicine residency at In His Image in Tulsa, OK. During residency, she served on the CMDA Board of Trustees. After graduating, she worked as a hospitalist for 3 years before returning to In His Image as part-time faculty doing outpatient medicine. As a lifelong learner, she obtained a Theology in Healthcare Certification at Duke Divinity School and is close to completing a Master's in Biblical Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary. She is happily married to Cody with three beautiful children: Aiden, Maci, and Elayna.
Sara Bowen, MD, FAAP is a Pediatrician at Roseville Pediatrics, Lancaster General Health, Penn Medicine in Lancaster, PA. She lives with her family in Lititz, PA, the coolest small town in America. Sara grew up in Wellsboro, PA which is home to the beautiful Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania. She received her B.S. in Biology from Juniata College in 2001 and her M.D. from the Pennsylvania State College of Medicine in 2005. She completed her residency in Pediatrics at Dayton Children's Medical Center, Boonshoft School of Medicine in 2008. She is a member of CMDA, WPDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Pennsylvania Medical Society. Sara met her husband, Michael (a Psychiatrist), through CMDA in medical school. They have two sons, Joel and Aaron. Her family also has two dogs, Annie a golden doodle and Oscar, a miniature dachshund. They enjoy camping, hiking, playing board games, being outdoors, reading, and exploring National Parks. Sara is a part of a weekly Zoom Bible Study formed out of the CMDA’s Courage in the Crisis Connection Room that met at the start of the COVID pandemic. She and three other WPDC members have met weekly since June 2020 and studied over 16 books together.
Dr. Ruff is a partner at Family Physicians of Greeley, LLC. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and attended residency at In His Image Family Medicine Residency Program in Tulsa, OK. She is board certified in Family Medicine and completed a fellowship in Obstetrics and Surgical Obstetrics at the University of Alabama-Huntsville. Formerly, was a faculty at North Colorado Family Medicine Residency, where she served as the director of a 2-day OB US CME course and was the curriculum champion of Point-of-Care Ultrasound. Dr. Ruff now practices full-spectrum Family Medicine with OB, where she provides Point-of-Care Ultrasound services for her patients. She lives in Greeley, CO with her husband and four children.
Martha Grace Courtwright is a Family Medicine physician in Hayward, Wisconsin where she practices full spectrum medicine. She is originally from Monroe, Louisiana. Her parents are both Family Medicine physicians and members of CMDA. She attended Wheaton College where she majored in Theology and attended Medical College of Wisconsin- Green Bay for medical school. She is married to Kyle and has two kids, Isabelle and Liam. She enjoys hiking, camping, reading, crafting, and playing board games. She previously served as the resident representative and now continues to work with the student/resident ministry as a member of the WPDC Commission.
Faith Brown is currently a PGY-1 at Self Regional Family Medicine Residency in Greenwood, SC. She completed her medical school training at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Bradenton, FL. Faith received her undergraduate degree at Grove City College. Since college, Faith has found fellowship and encouragement through her local CMDA chapters and got involved in WPDC in 2022. She is blessed to be married to her husband, Joshua Brown, and they hope to be involved in long-term medical missions after residency. In their free time together, they spend time with friends and family, play pickleball, cook, and play lots of board games!
Paola is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine. Born in Cuernavaca, Mexico, and raised in Tyler, Texas, she spent five years as a nurse after earning her BSN. That experience deepened her passion for underserved communities and ultimately led her to medicine. She serves in her local CMDA chapter and became involved with WPDC after attending her first conference in 2024. Outside of medicine, she enjoys hiking and traveling, and is a proud aunt to three nieces and nephews.
Although she grew up knowing about Jesus, it wasn't until adulthood that she came to know Him personally, accepting Him as her Lord and Savior and learning to trust Him beyond her need for control. Her faith took root not through certainty, but through surrender.
Mike Chupp, MD, FACS, was drawn to the orthopedic surgery service as Tenwek had no long-term bone surgeon. He was also named Medical Director in mid-1997. Tenwek grew remarkably during Mike's tenure as surgeon and medical director to a clinical staff of over 80 physicians and clinical officers and more than 700 total staff. Training programs for interns, family medicine, general surgery and orthopedics were also developed and launched during those years.
Mike and Pam left for Kenya in August 1996 with two small children and added two more while at Tenwek Hospital: Steven, Melody, Kayla and Ashley.
In 2015, Dr. David Stevens invited Mike to consider returning to the U.S. to assume the role of CMDA Executive Vice President. After seven months of prayer and seeking counsel from mission leaders, mentors and close friends, Pam and Mike decided to leave their Kenya home and mission life of 20 years and moved to Bristol, Tennessee in July 2016. Mike has counted it an amazing privilege to serve alongside David Stevens and Gene Rudd and all the national CMDA staff for nearly three years. In September 2018, after an eight-month CEO search process, the Board of Trustees asked Mike to become the next CEO of CMDA, beginning September 1, 2019, when Dr. Stevens steps down. Mike's life verses are from 2 Timothy 1:6-7: "For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you…for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control" (ESV).
GET INVOLVED WITH WPDC
Contact us to receive the Pulse monthly email newsletter, suggest a topic for a future event, or anything else!
Our History
In April 1992, Rev. Marti Ensign became the first director of this outreach, which provided resources directed toward women physicians and dentists, conferences to meet their specific needs and a close-knit network to help them share and grow in Christ. In 1993, members of the (newly formed) WIMD Commission attended the American Medical Women's Association meeting, where many expressed an interest in CMDS. In April 1994, the first CMDS/WIMD national convention was held in Philadelphia.
In 2000, Rev. Marti Ensign retired from the leadership of WIMD and Harriet Askew became the new director. She worked on behalf of the ministry from 2000-2002. Since 2002, WIMD has created a monthly e-newsletter that is sent out to thousands of women. With the e-newsletter, WIMD can reach women all over the world and in return receives many responses including prayer requests, needs and useful suggestions.
In 2002, the Commission members realized their desire to personally minister to the women professionals of CMDA, and therefore, the ministry paradigm was restructured. The WIMD Commission hired its first administrative assistant in the fall of 2002 and its first full-time administrator in January 2014. WIMD now has yearly conferences in different regions of the United States to minister to the growing number of women physicians, dentists and medical and dental students.
In 2021, the name was changed to Women Physicians & Dentists in Christ (WPDC) in order to reflect the heart of the organization, Jesus Christ. The mission of this commission has not changed-the ministry continues to be focused on Christian women physicians, dentists and the students in these professions.
